Autoharp



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. B. BBHNKB.

AUTOHARP.

110,691,729. I Patented Oct. 12,1897.

fb I 1I 1I l i 1 1 I I 1I "II 1w sII l I II (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2, W. B. BEHNKE.

AUTOHARP.

Patented Oct. 12

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

VlLl-IELM BERNHARD BEHNKE, OF PHILLIPS, VISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO W'. A. PRIDEMORE, OF ASHLAND, VVISOONSIN.

AUTOHARP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,729, dated October 12, 189'?. Application filed August 8, 1896- Serial No. 602,141. (No model.)

To LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILHELM BERNHARD BEHNKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Phillips, in the county of Price and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Autoharp, of which the following is aspeciiication. A

My invention relates to autoharps, and has for its object to provide simple and efficient means for varying the chords produced by the damper-bars and for `securing the slide at different adjustments, either temporarily or permanently.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereofV will be particularly pointed out in' the appended claims. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an autoharp constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the slide and contiguous portions of the guide-frame. Fig. 3 is a perspective view withv the slide thrown back. Fig. 4 is a view of the adjustable scale-bar, showing the opposite side from that indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail inverted plan view of the means for returning the auxiliary damper-bars to their normal positions.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

1 designates a sounding board or box, and 2 the strings, over which is arranged a transverse guide frame 3, comprising parallel bars terminally connected by cross-bars 4. Mounted in the guide-frame for movement transverse to the strings is a damper-slide consisting of a main longitudinal bar 5 and independently-movable auxiliary bars 6 and 7, whichare connected to the main bar by means of keepers 8 and are limited in their movement independently of the main bar by means of spaced stop-pins 9. Said auxiliary damper-bars are normally held in-a given positionwith relation to the main-bar by means of return-springs 10.

Attached to the main bar at intervals are arms 11 and 12, the latter of which consists of a liat plate extending beyond the bar 5 and terminating contiguous to a rack 13.

lThese arms are provided with eyes 14, fitted to slide upon hinge-rods 15 on the rear bar of the guide-frame, and projecting from the front end of the arm 12 is a pointer 16 to engage the notches between the teeth of the rack and thus hold the slide temporarily at the desired adjustment. This pointer traverses a reversible scale-bar 17, iitted in keepers 18 on the front bar of the stationary guide- `frame. This bar is adjustable longitudinally in the keepers to facilitate transposition from one key to another, andisalso reversible, with its oppositesides provided, respectively, with a scale bearing the letter names of the strings and a numerical scale indicating the degrees with relation to a fixed starting-point or tonic.

The damper-bars are provided with the usual pads or cushions to cut out or deaden certain of the strings in order that the open strings may forma harmonic chord, and by means of the auxiliary damper-bars, which carry pads cooperating with those on the main damper-bar,'the chord maybe changed to produce a plurality of chords in the same key.V The means which I have illustrated for operating the auxiliary bars independently -of the main bar include a handle or knob 1S, mounted vertically upon the arm 12 for rotary movement and provided with an index 19, which is arranged in operative relation with pins 2O and 21, carried, respectively, by the auxiliary damper-bars. By rotating the handle or knob in one direction one of the auxiliary damper-bars will be moved against the tension of its actuating-spring to produce a minor chord, and if said handle is turned in the opposite direction the other auxiliary damper-bar will be moved to produce a chord of the seventh. Vhen in its normalposition, where it is held by the yielding resistance of the auxiliary damper-bars, due to their actuating-springs, a major chord is produced by the open strings. The handle or knob is adapted to be manipulated by the left hand of the performer, While the right is employed in sounding the strings, and said handle forms convenient means for changing the adj ustment of the slide with relation to the scale on the stationary guide-frame to bring the pointer'l opposite the desired gradua- IOO tion of said scale, and thereby adapt the instrument for playing in the desired key.

In order to provide for temporarily securing the index in one position or the other without continued et'fort upon the part of the operator, l preferably arrange upon the shank of the handle or knob a holding-arm 22, having a depending ear or stud 23 to engage the teeth of the rack, said ear or stud being short to adapt it to swing over the plane ot the pointer and engage the tooth on either side ot the notch in which the pointer is seated. Thus the same rack serves to secure the slide and either of the auxiliary damper-bars at the desired adjustment, and a very slight movement of the hand of the operator is sufficient to move the pointer from one notch to another of the rack to change the key of the chords to be sounded. Y

Furthermore, it will be seen from the foregoing description that when desired the entire slide may be folded back out of contact with the strings; but when in operative position the cushions of the damper-bars are permanently in contact with and stop the strings. It is obvious that in order to change the adjustment of the slide it is necessary to tilt the same sufficiently to disengage the pointer from the notch in which it is seated,

and this tilting or slight elevation oi the slide is sufficient to remove the cushions from contact with the strings and allow the slide to be moved freely.

Furthermore, it will be seen that while the sliding hinge connection between the slide and the guide-frame, as shown in the drawings, is simple in construction the same may be materially varied andyet provide for the two necessary movements of the slide, as set forth. A hinged connection of some kind is necessary in order to provide for the change -of adjustment of the slide by allowing` the pointer to pass Afrom one notch to another of the rack.

The strings of the instrument embodying my invention are timed chromat-ically, and hence a number of chords corresponding with the number of damper-bars may be sounded in each of the twelve adjustments corresponding with the degrees of the chromatic scale. It should be noted, however, that the number of damper-bars may be varied to allow for producing a greater or less number of chords, as may be desired.

Various other changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ot construction may be resorted to without departing trom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a slide mounted for vertical swinging movement and horizontal sliding movement .in a direction transverse to the strings, parallel fixed and horizontally-movable damper-bars carried bythe slide and having their cushions arranged in contact with the strings when the slide is in its normal position, and means, consisting of a normally-interlocliing rack and pointer, one ot which is carried by and movable with the slide while the other Vis arranged in a fixed position contiguous to the free edge of the slide, for holding the slide at the desired adjustment, the vertical swinging movement of the slide being adapted to allow longitudinal change of adjustment to cause engagement of the pointer with differeut teeth of the rack, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a slide mounted for vertical swinging movement and horizontal sliding movement in a direction transverse to the strings, parallel fixed and horizontally-movable damper-bars carried by the slide and having their cushions arranged in contact with the strin when the slide is in its normal position in which it is yieldingly held, a fixed rack arranged near the free edge of the slide, and a pointer iixed to the slide to engage the rack, said slide being adapted to be raised to allow change of adjustment of the pointer in the rack, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a slide mounted tor horizontal and vertical movement, damper-bars carried by the slide and arranged normally in contact with the strings, and a pointer carried by the slide to engage a fixed rack, whereby when the slide is elevated to change the adjustment of the pointer with relation to the rack the damper-bars are removed from contact with the strings, substantially as specified.

Li. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a parallel-sided guide-trame, a slide having a main damper-bar arranged between said side bars, arms carried by the said damper-bar and provided with hin ge-e yes mou n ted to slide upon elongated hinge-rods, and a pointer carried by'thc slide to engage a .fixed rack, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a stationary guide frame having front and rear parallel bars, a slide having damper-bars arranged between said front and rear bars, the slide having a hinged connection with the rear bar, a pointer at the vfront side of the slide to engage a fixed rack on the front bar, and a reversible longitudinallymovable scale-bar iiitted in keepers on the front bar and traversed by said pointer, Athe opposite sides of said scale-bar having respectively numerical and letter scales, substantially as specified.

G. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a slide mounted for movement trailsverse to the strings, means for securing the slide at the desired adjustment, fixed and movable damper-bars carried bythe slide, Vthe movable damper-bars being yieldingly held. in their normal positions, and operatillg devices ior the movable damper-bars including a rotary handle or knob operatively connected.

IOG

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with the damper-bars, substantially as specified.

7 The Combination with a stringed instrut ment, of a slide mounted for movement transslide, iiXed and movable damper-bars carried by the slide, the movable damper-bars being yieldingly held in their normal positions, a

rotary handle or knob operatively connected With the movable damper-bars, and a holdingarm having a stud or ear arranged in operative relation With the teeth of the rack and adapted to engage the same to seeure either of the movable damper-bars in its adjusted position, substantially as speeiiied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILHELM BERNHARD BEHNKE.

Witnesses:

E. W. MURRAY', A. C. FRANK. 

